can some tell me why I have to buy a trail hawk to get four wheel drive. this vehicle has the Cherokee name and based on the original platform in which all models, 4 wheel drive was optional. doesn't seem all that much of a Cherokee to me when I have to spend 30,000 plus just for four wheel drive, in other words it's just another suv. it's disappointing that the Cherokee as an economical four wheel drive is truly gone!

You can get 4wd on models other than the trailhawk. If you don't like it, don't buy it.

Depending on how you look at it you can't get "true" 4WD on any KL (2014+) Cherokee including the Trail-Hawk. All KLs have some sort of electronically controlled front-biased AWD (all-wheel drive) with no transfer case and no true ability to lock it into a 50/50 split 4WD like a real transfer case does.

In the Sport (base), you can only get ADI (single speed), an ADI sport starts at $25k.

For ADII (dual-speed with "low-range") you have to at least get the Latitude trim and a Latitude with ADII starts at $28k (4-cyl).

To get the "locking" rear diff you have to get the Trail-Hawk which starts at $30K.

Depending on how you look at it you can't get "true" 4WD on any KL (2014+) Cherokee including the Trail-Hawk. All KLs have some sort of electronically controlled front-biased AWD (all-wheel drive) with no transfer case and no true ability to lock it into a 50/50 split 4WD like a real transfer case does. In the Sport (base), you can only get ADI (single speed), an ADI sport starts at $25k. For ADII (dual-speed with "low-range") you have to at least get the Latitude trim and a Latitude with ADII starts at $28k (4-cyl). To get the "locking" rear diff you have to get the Trail-Hawk which starts at $30K.

Actually you can get all of that on the new cherokee ... I just got the latitude with the 4x4 on it the locking differentials and all sorts of goodies!!!! I just am dying to lift it they need to put out a kit already ...

Actually you can get all of that on the new cherokee ... I just got the latitude with the 4x4 on it the locking differentials and all sorts of goodies!!!! I just am dying to lift it they need to put out a kit already ...

Where did you find a Latitude with a locking rear diff? It specifically states on the jeep web site that a locking rear diff is only available on the Trail-Hawk (Though ADII and the off-road suspension are available on the Latitude and above, but without the locking rear diff).

As for 4WD, just because it is called 4WD doesn't mean it is (Toyota calls the AWD on the RAV4 4WD and Jeep calls the AWD on the Patriot, Compass, and KL Cherokee 4WD but they aren't at least not in the traditional sense). The KL comes with some form of AWD, electronically controlled with the power split done in the transmission, does not have a transfer case and is not capable of locking into a to a true 50/50 split like a "real" 4WD vehicle with a transfer case can do, the KL AWD system is front-biased (favors the front wheels) and directs varying amounts of power to the rear wheels depending on how much slippage is detected. It is not necessarily a bad system (though it could use some reprograming) but it is not "real" 4WD.

As far as lifts are concerned you will likely be limited to 2" max if anything at all due to the angle of the half-shafts/CV joints which is already steep since the KL is basically a lifted Dart (from a chassis perspective).